In one of the statements that I'm writing, I wanted to express the idea that the Internet has helped one to stay in touch with friends. I wrote it this way:

It is undeniable that the Internet has helped people from losing friends that they don't have time to meet face-to-face.

The problem with this statement, however, is that I find it somewhat awkward and not fluent. The idea isn't sharp, either, with the way I phrased it. I could have used the phrase "stay in touch", but I also want to highlight the idea that it has helped keep people from losing friends whom they don't have time to meet often. And because the phrase "stay in touch" is very common, I hope I could say it in different words.

This question came from our site for linguists, etymologists, and serious English language enthusiasts. Votes, comments, and answers are locked due to the question being closed here, but it may be eligible for editing and reopening on the site where it originated.

3 Answers
3

It's clear that the Internet helps people stay in touch with many friends they might otherwise have lost contact with.

You can fiddle with this, of course, but the nice thing about it is that it uses the "stay in touch" phrase (which is obviously very appropriate, so it feels simple and natural) but still puts the emphasis on the alternative possibility of that not happening.

What are some concrete examples of "staying in touch"? List six or twelve of those and see whether that gives any ideas. You might be able to replace "stay in touch" with two or three evocative examples.